Overland Track

Waterfall Valley to Lake Windermere 7.8 km, 2.5-3.5 hours

• From Waterfall Valley to Lake Windermere is a less strenuous stretch over alpine heathlands, lakes and tarns. This section is exposed and above 1000 metres in elevation. Camping is not permitted around Lake Windemere, however the overnight sites are just 500 metres from its shore.

Side trip options

• Lake Will – 3 km, 1 hour return from track junction. This relaxed walk takes visitors to an alpine lake, popular as a lunch stop.

Lake Windermere to Pelion 16.8 km, 5-7 hours

• A long walking day, encircled by distant mountains; Pelion East, Ossa, Thetis, Achilles and Pelion West and the Du Cane Range. Walkers cross button grass plains and journey through myrtle-beech rainforest and eucalypt forest. Campers have the option to camp at Frog Flats if they want to brave the leeches, but we continue on to Pelion Hut and the overnight site.

Side trip options

• Old Pelion Hut – 1 km, 0.5 hour return from track junction.
• Pelion Hut is a charming 1917 historic hut, once built for miners and now a day-use area. There is an excellent swimming hole for a summer-time refresh

Pelion to Kia Ora 8.6 km, 3-4 hours

• Day four experiences are full of rainforests and mountain summits.
• Alongside Douglas Creek, walkers will ascend to Pelion Gap, the valley between Mount Ossa and Pelion East. There is a gradual descent across buttongrass plains and eucalypt forest to Kia Ora. Pelion Gap is an exposed alpine plateau. In inclement weather, take your breaks in the shelter of the forest before Pelion Gap then onward to Kia Ora.

Side trips options

• Mount Pelion East (1433m) – 2.4 km, 2 hours return from track junction.
• There are spectacular views over Mount Ossa and most of the park’s highest peaks once you reach the summit of Mount Pelion East. The walk is steep and exposed. Do not attempt under heavy rain or snow as boulder fields under snow are dangerous.

Kia Ora to Windy Ridge (Bert Nichols Hut) 9.6 km, 3.5-4.5 hours

• From Kia Ora Creek, the track continues through rainforest to the historic Du Cane Hut. Built in 1910, the hut provides a great location for lunch but should only be used as an overnight location in an emergency. Walkers then spend another half hour walking through King Billy pine, sassafras and myrtle forest, before reaching the junction to D’Alton and Fergusson Falls – a great side trip. Another 20 minutes up the path walkers will reach the side trip to Harnett Falls. After a final journey through wet sclerophyll forest, walkers reach Bert Nichols Hut, situated at the top of the Narcissus Valley with the dramatic Du Cane Range as its backdrop.

Side trips options

• D’Alton and Fergusson Falls – 1 km, 1 hour return. Descend through rainforest to the Mersey River to reach both waterfalls. Slippery tracks and sheer drop-offs at top of falls, but a pleasant side trip worth taking.
• Hartnett Falls – 1.5 km, 1 hour return.
  Another descent through rainforest to the Mersey River and the falls. Slippery track and sheer drop-offs at top of falls.

Windy Ridge (Bert Nichols Hut) to Narcissus 9 km, 3-4 hours

• It is a gradual, easy descent beside Narcissus Valley through eucalypt forest and across button grass plains. Narcissus Hut is on the banks of the Narcissus River at the head of Lake St Clair.
• Walkers will need to cross the river via a suspension bridge before reaching the overnight site and ferry jetty another 15 minutes down the track.
• We normally end here as we have booked our tickets for the ferry before we set out, and we use the radio in Narcissus Hut to reconfirm our booking once we get there.